10 gallon tank too small for Dalmation Mollie breeder pair?

[Cart.Poe]

I have a 10 gallon planted which is also my favorite tank. It is heavily planted about 8 stem plants and there is also a few crypt bundles in there. I also have two Dalmatian Mollies which have been breeding on and off for about a year now. It is also stocked with 1 Mickey mouse platy and 3 Stein Cory cats and 1 orange guppy. I use no C02 or Ferts and also keep no pad or filter media in my cheap, Walmart HOB filter, and no bubble stone. all fish are in the 10 gal because they prefer the smaller tank and get insecure And a lot less active in the 20 or 45 gal tank which is stocked with Dalmatian Mollie fry and adults. I considered my 10 gallon to be a little slice of heaven for my fish and a shining example of good fish keeping until an experienced member informed me it is WAY overstocked and said my fish are probably stressed, tho they seem the happiest of all the fish in all my tanks. Any advice?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

No, do not put them in there. If anything, leave them be. Your tank is already stocked IMO. I'm also pretty sure those cories will outgrow the ten gallon, but I'll have to check on that...

 

[Cart.Poe]

The mollies have been breeding on and off in the 10 gallon for over a year. All the fish are full grown and have been in the tank for a very long time and same with the plants. It is running very healthy and happy so my question is, should I mess with anything even though basic fish keeping guidelines tell me my tank is WAY overstocked?

 

[Cart.Poe]

Any advice????????

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I'd leave it as is. It all depends on your filtration. What kind of filters do you have running and how often do you do your water changes? Mollies have big bioloads, and keeping them in small tanks is no easy task at all. I had enough trouble keeping a mollie alive in a thirty gallon tank, I can't imagine one, let alone two in a ten gallon.

Just my opinion.

 

[Cart.Poe]

I use a cheap Walmart filter with no pads or media, I just keep it empty but I leave it on to create current. I thought I was a good fish keeper as I have 3 healthy tanks that have been up and running for years and never heard of "minimum tank size" or "Ferts" or C02 injections. These forums have me so confused lol

 

[Cart.Poe]

I also do no water changes I just replace evaporated water.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I also do no water changes I just replace evaporated water.

That might be a problem. Nitrates could eventually build up in your tank if you don't take out water, and not replacing old water may eventually lead to old tank syndrome.

 

[adadkins1]

I have a 10 gallon planted which is also my favorite tank. It is heavily planted about 8 stem plants and there is also a few crypt bundles in there. I also have two Dalmatian Mollies which have been breeding on and off for about a year now. It is also stocked with 1 Mickey mouse platy and 3 Stein Cory cats and 1 orange guppy. I use no C02 or Ferts and also keep no pad or filter media in my cheap, Walmart HOB filter, and no bubble stone. all fish are in the 10 gal because they prefer the smaller tank and get insecure And a lot less active in the 20 or 45 gal tank which is stocked with Dalmatian Mollie fry and adults. I considered my 10 gallon to be a little slice of heaven for my fish and a shining example of good fish keeping until an experienced member informed me it is WAY overstocked and said my fish are probably stressed, tho they seem the happiest of all the fish in all my tanks. Any advice?

Are there many decorations in the 20 or 45g aquariums? Any fish will be very skittish if kept in a tank with sparse to no decorations/plants/hiding places.

Mollies need at the bare minimum a 20g. Really a 29 is the reccomendation and that is what I would stick with. Mollies, depending on specific variation, should be anywhere from 4 to 6 inches in length.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

From what I've read online they reach 4.75 inches

 

[Cart.Poe]

Yes the 20 and 45 are also heavily planted. And the ammo and nitrate are a constant zero as this is a very old tank.